Day One

Keeping Silent

“The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.”
Exodus 14:14

          Well, the Israelites were complaining again.  They were recently delivered from Egypt by the awesome power of the LORD, and no sooner than gaining their freedom, they were once again complaining about their situation.  If the behavior of the Jews during the Exodus does not remind us of ourselves, I don’t know what does.  Above anything else, it demonstrates a complete lack of faith.

          I think it’s hilarious to think that Moses was basically telling the Israelites to shut up.  If they kept quiet long enough, all they had to do was sit back and God would deliver them.  But when they didn’t see immediate relief they fell back on their most trusted means of expressing their faith, which was complaining and bemoaning their situation.  How many of us do the same when we are faced with a momentary crisis?  How many of those confessing Christians run to their pity party instead of into the arms of the One who can fix the problem?  

          Being silent and waiting upon the LORD to act demonstrates a trust in the LORD.  When we trust in God completely and have learned to wait upon His movements, our complaining and cavorting will cease.  When we just shut up and wait for God to act, it demonstrates to God and to the world that we have inner peace and faith in the one true means of support in this world.  Waiting is our witness.  Peace is our fortress.  And silence is our act of worship toward a God who is waiting to protect us.  

• A disciple waits in silence for the LORD to act

Application:  Do I complain at the first sight of trouble?  Who or what do I run to when I should be standing in silence?